INTEGUMENTARY

SYSTEM
Miguel Lorenz C. Parawan, RMT
THE INTEGUMENTARY
SYSTEM
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
 SKIN
 APPENDAGES
 Hair
 Nails
 Glands
 Arrector pili muscle
 Pilosebaceous unit
SKIN
 The skin is considered the largest organ of the body
accounting for 15%-20% of total body weight.

 It is divided into two main regions, the epidermis, and

the dermis. The dermis is attached to an underlying
hypodermis, also called subcutaneous connective
tissue.
INTEGUMENT
 The integument as an organ, is an alternative name for
skin.
 The integumentary system includes the skin and the skin
derivatives/appendages: hair, nails, and glands (sweat
and sebaceous).
 It is made up of two parts: the CUTANEOUS
MEMBRANE and the ACCESSORY STRUCTURES
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
1. Cutaneous membrane
a. Epidermis – superficial epithelium
b. Dermis – underlying CT with blood supply
c. Hypodermis (Subcutaneous Layer) – loose connective tissue
proper and adipose tissue

2. Accessory structures
a. Hair c. Exocrine Glands
b. Nails d. Arrector pili muscle
 STRUCTURE OF SKIN
 Epidermis

 Dermis

 Hypodermis
(Subcutaneous layer)
FUNCTIONS:
 Protection
 First line of defense against microorganisms.
 Protects underlying structures from UV radiation and
dehydration.

 Synthesis
 Vitamin D production needed for calcium absorption.
 Melanin pigments

 Sensation
 Sensory receptors
FUNCTIONS:
 Body temperature regulation
 If too hot
 Dermal blood vessels dilate
 Vessels carry more blood to surface so heat can escape
 If too cold
 Dermal blood vessels constrict
 Prevents heat from escaping

 Excretion
 Small amounts of waste products are lost through
perspiration.

 Sensation
 Sweat and sebum
PROTECTION
 Skin provides a physical barrier against thermal and
mechanical insults such as friction and against most
potential pathogens and other materials.
 The dark pigment melanin in the epidermis protects cell
nuclei from ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
 Skin is also a permeability barrier against excessive loss or
uptake of water, which has allowed for terrestrial life.
SENSORY
 Sensory receptors allow skin to
constantly monitor the environment.
 Mechanoreceptors help regulate the body’s
interactions with physical objects.
THERMOREGULATORY
The subcutaneous layer consists of
adipocytes which help insulate the body.

Sweating is the most powerful autonomic

thermoeffector.
METABOLIC
 Skin cells synthesize Vitamin D₃ needed in
calcium metabolism and proper bone
formation.
 Excess electrolytes can be removed in sweat.
 The subcutaneous layer stores a significant
amount of energy in the form of fat.
SEXUAL SIGNALING
 Skin features (hair, skin color) are visual
indicators of attraction.
 Sex pheromones produced by the apocrine
sweat glands help in the attraction during
intimacy.
EPIDERMIS
EPIDERMIS
• Consists mainly of a avascular stratified squamous
keratinized epithelium composed of cells called
keratinocytes.

• There are also three much less abundant epidermal cell

types:
 Melanocytes
 Langerhans cells
 Merkel cells
EPIDERMIS
• The most superficial layer of the skin.
• The first barrier of protection from the invasion of foreign
substances.
• Characterized by the abundance of keratinocytes.
• The epidermis is subdivided into four layers or strata:
 Stratum basale
 Stratum germinativum
 Stratum spinosum
 Stratum granulosum
 Stratum corneum
 Surface

Stratum
corneum

Stratum
lucidum

Stratum
granulosum

Stratum
spinosum
Stratum
basale
Basement
membrane
Papillary layer of dermis
Dermis
Thick skin LM  210
 Epidermis

Epidermal
ridge

Dermal papilla

Dermis

The structural relationship and interface between the epidermis

and underlying dermis. The proportions of the various layers
differ with the location sampled.
 Epidermal ridges

Pores of sweat
gland ducts

Epidermal
ridge

Thick skin SEM  25

STRUCTURES OF THE EPIDERMIS
From the free surface to basal lamina

 Stratum corneum
 Stratum lucidum
 Stratum granulosum
 Stratum spinosum
 Stratum basale
STRATUM CORNEUM
• The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis, consisting of dead
cells (corneocytes) that lack nuclei and organelles.
• Desquamation, the process of cell shedding from the surface of the stratum
corneum, balances proliferating keratinocytes that form in the stratum basale.
• Termed as the horny layer because its cells are toughened like an animal's
horn.
• Characteristics:
 Exposed surface of skin
 15 to 20 layers of keratinized cells (squames/horny cells)
 Water resistant
 Shed and replaced every 2 weeks
STRATUM LUCIDUM
• Termed as the clear layer because these cells are densely packed with
eleiden, a clear protein rich in lipids derived from keratohyalin, which
gives these cells their transparent (i.e., lucid) appearance and provides
a barrier to water.
• Found only in thick skin and represents a transition from the
stratum granulosum to the stratum corneum.
STRATUM GRANULOSUM
• Termed as the grainy layer because its cells are characterized with
granules of the protein keratin and keratohyalin.
• The progressive maturation of a keratinocyte is characterized by the
accumulation of keratin, called keratinization.
• The granules present in this stratum contain lipids, which along with
the desmosomal connections, help to form a waterproof barrier
that functions to prevent fluid loss from the body.
• This layer marks the end of mitosis, and starts producing keratin and
keratohyalin.
STRATUM GRANULOSUM
• KERATIN
 A tough, fibrous protein that makes up hair, nails, and the skin’s outer
layer.
 Helps support skin, heal wounds and keep nails and hair healthy.

• KERATOHYALIN
 Dense granules that cross-link keratin fibers which creates the tight
waterproof barrier.
 Provides the body with an impermeable layer that protects from
invasion by foreign particles.
STRATUM SPINOSUM
• Termed as the spiny layer or prickle cell layer because it contains
irregular, polyhedral cells with cytoplasmic processes, sometimes
called “spines”, that extend outward and contact neighboring cells by
desmosomes.

• Produced by the division of stratum basale which contains eight to ten (8- 10)
layers of keratinocytes bound by desmosomes.

• Cells shrink until cytoskeletons stick out (appears spiny) and continue to
divide, increasing thickness of epithelium.

• Contains dendritic (Langerhans) cells, active in immune response.

STRATUM BASALE
• Also known as the Stratum Germinativum.
• Separated from the dermis by a thin layer of basement
membrane.
• Attached to basement membrane by hemidesmosomes and forms
a strong bond between epidermis and dermis.
• Has many basal cells or germinative cells.
• Forms epidermal ridges (e.g., fingerprints)
 Types of skin

Thick skin Thin skin

• 5 layers • 4 layers
• Prominent stratum • Less prominent stratum
corneum corneum
• Well developed stratum • Less developed stratum
granulosum granulosum
• Palms of the hands and • Dominant and lines most
soles of the feet of the body surface
• Thinner dermis • Thicker dermis
• No hair and sebaceous • With hair and
glands sebaceous glands
TYPES OF EPIDERMAL CELLS
KERATINOCYTES
• They are responsible for keratin formation.
• Formed of many layers that continuously shed and regenerate
every 2-4 weeks.
• They are arranged in many layers.
MELANOCYTES
• Found in between cells of the basal layer.
• Branched cells with central nuclei by EM contains organelles for
protein synthesizes (rER, Golgi, mitochondria and melanosomes).
• They form melanin by tyrosinase from tyrosine amino acid by
converting it to dioxyphenylalanine (DOPA).
LANGERHANS CELLS
• Langerhans cells are dendritic cells (antigen-presenting immune cells)
of the skin.
• Found in upper layers of stratum spinosum.
• Have a branching shape with central nuclei.
• Represent 3-8%of epidermal cells.
MERKEL CELLS
• Also known as epithelial tactile cells.
• Functioning as touch receptors, these cells are sensitive
mechanoreceptors essential for light touch sensation.
• Found in basal cell layer, they are modified epidermal
cells.
• Sensory nerve fibers form terminal disk under Merkel
cells
DERMIS
DERMIS
 Located between epidermis and subcutaneous layer.
 Anchors epidermal accessory structures (hair follicles,
sweat glands).
 Supplies the avascular epidermis with nutrients.
 Two components:
1. Outer papillary layer
2. Deep reticular layer
PAPILLARY LAYER
 Contains smaller capillaries, lymphatics, and sensory neurons.
 Has dermal papillae projecting between epidermal ridges.
RETICULAR LAYER
 Consists of dense irregular connective tissue.
 Contains larger blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerve fibers.
 Contains collagen and elastic fibers.
 Contains connective tissue proper.
COMPONENTS OF DERMIS
• The dermis is composed of the dermis is composed of three major types of
cell:
 Fibroblasts
 Mast cells, and
 Adipocytes
• Apart from these cells, the dermis is also composed of matrix components such
as:
 Collagen (which provides strength)
 Elastin (which provides elasticity), and
 Extrafibrillar matrix, an extracellular gel-like substance primarily
composed of glycosaminoglycans (most
notably hyaluronan, proteoglycans, and glycoproteins).
FIBROBLAST
• Fibroblast is a type of cell that synthesizes the extracellular matrix
and collagen and plays a critical role in wound healing.
• Fibroblasts have a branched cytoplasm surrounding an elliptical,
speckled nucleus having two or more nucleoli.

• Active fibroblasts can be recognized by their abundant

rough endoplasmic reticulum.
• Inactive fibroblasts, which are also called fibrocytes, are smaller and
spindle shaped. They have a reduced rough endoplasmic reticulum.
 Dermal
papillae

Capillary loop
Epidermal of papillary
ridges plexus

Hair

Papillary
layer

Papillary
Reticular plexus
layer

Cutaneous
plexus
HYPODERMIS
HYPODERMIS
(Subcutaneous Layer)
 This layer lies below the integument. It is the bottom most layer of skin
in your body
 It serves to stabilize the skin and allows for separate movement.
 Made of elastic areolar and adipose tissues.
 Connected to the reticular layer of integument by connective tissue fibers.
 It functions to store energy, connect the dermal layer of your skin to
your muscles and bones, insulate your body and protection of your body
from harm.
SKIN
APPENDAGES
SKIN APPENDAGES
1. Hair Follicles and Hair
2. Sweat Glands
 Eccrine or merocrine sweat glands
 Apocrine sweat glands

3. Sebaceous glands
4. Nails
HAIR AND HAIR FOLLICLES
• Hair: produced by hair follicle which are made of hard
keratinized epithelial cells.
• Hair follicles: are the organs that produces and forms the
non-living hair strands. They are located deep within the
dermis and wrapped in a dense connective tissue sheath. The
enclosure helps control bacteria.
• Melanocytes provide pigment for hair color.
• The base is surrounded by sensory nerves (root hair plexus).
STRUCTURE OF HAIR FOLLICLE
STRUCTURE OF HAIR FOLLICLE
Exposed
shaft
Accessory Structures of Hair of hair

 Arrector pili
Sebaceous
 Involuntary smooth muscle gland

 Causes hairs to stand up Arrector

pili
 Produces “goosebumps” muscle
Connecti
 Sebaceous glands ve
tissue
sheath
 Lubricate the hair Root hair
plexus
STRUCTURE OF HAIR

Regions of the Hair

Hair shaft

 Hair root Sebaceous

Boundary gland
between Arrector
 Lower part of the hair hair shaft pili muscle
and
hair root
 Attached to the integument

 Hair shaft Hair root

Connective
 Upper part of the hair tissue sheath
Hair bulb
 Not attached to the integument Hair matrix
Hair papilla
STRUCTURE OF HAIR
Hair Shaft
 Medulla
 Core, dead cells contain soft keratin and air to provide flexibility.

 Cortex
 Middle layer, dead cells contain hard keratin to provide
stiffness.

 Cuticle
 Outermost, overlapping dead keratinized cells form shiny
surface.
STRUCTURE OF HAIR
Associated Hair Structures
 Hair follicle
 Dermal and epidermal
sheath surround hair
root
 Arrector pili muscle
 Smooth muscle
 Pulls hairs upright when
cold or frightened
 Sebaceous gland
 SWEAT GLANDS
Eccrine sweat gland
 Merocrine secretion
 Empty directly onto skin
surface
 Location: most all over body
(esp. abundant on palms &
soles: ~ 500/cm2)
 Clear, watery secretion (99%
H2O; rest NaCl + some waste
products
Apocrine sweat gland
 Empty into hair follicle
 Location: armpits, groin, nipples
 Viscous, cloudy secretion 
good nutrient source for bacteria
(odor !!)
 Secretion may contain
Pheromones
 Secretion begins at puberty and
is stimulated during emotional
distress
SEBACEOUS GLANDS
• Sebum discharged mostly into hair follicles
(lubrication & bactericidal).
NAILS
 Scale-like modifications of the epidermis
that are heavily keratinized.

 Stratum basale extends beneath the nail

bed and is responsible for growth.

 Lack of pigment makes them colorless.

NAIL ANATOMY
NAIL STRUCTURES
• Free edge

• Body is the visible

attached portion.

• Root of nail
embedded in skin.

• Cuticle is the
proximal nail fold
that projects onto
the nail body.
STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF NAIL
 Nails
 Protect fingers and toes
Free edge
 Made of dead cells packed with keratin of Nail

 Metabolic disorders can change nail structure Body of

Nail

Laternal
Nail Production Nail fold

 Occurs in a deep epidermal fold near the bone

Lunula
called the nail root
Eponychium
(cuticle)
 Eponychium
Proximal nail fold Lunula Nail body

Nail root

Epidermis Phalanx Hyponychium

Dermis
 Lateral
nail Nail
groove body
Lateral nail fold

Nail
bed
Phalanx
(bone of
fingertip) A cross-sectional
view